Method for making a pouch of laminated sheet material



June 3, 1969 D. R. CRANE 3,447,428

METHOD FOR MAKING POUCH OF LAMINATED SHEET MATERIAL Filed Feb. 16, 1966 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR. DONALD R. CRANE I l 5 I: BY L. "t a HIS ATTORNEYS June 3, 1969 D. R. CRANE METHOD FOR MAKING POUCH OF LAMINATED SHEET MATERIAL Filed Feb. 16, 1966 Sheet 3 of 2 FIG-5 FIG-6 35 INVENTOR. DQNALD R. CRANE BY w nam )l jrzai;

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HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent METHOD FOR MAKING A POUCH OF LAMINATED SHEET MATERIAL Donald R. Crane, Henrico County, Va., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 527,658

Int. Cl. B31b 49/04 U.S. Cl. 93-35 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tobacco pouch made of multi-layered sheet means comprised of at least two layers of plastic material and a layer of metallic foil suitably laminated together and formed in a simple manner to define an inexpensive pouch which has a feel similar to the feel of an expensive leather pouch.

This invention pertains to pouch means and more particularly to improved pouch means made of easily foldable multi-layer sheet means and to an improved method for making such pouch means.

Many pouches, such as tobacco pouches, in current use today are generally expensive to produce, bulky in appearance, cumbersome to open and close during use thereof, and provide poor protection against drying out and loss of fragrance of tobacco carried therewithin.

Accordingly, it is a feature of this invention to provide an improved pouch means which affords maximum protection to a product such as tobacco carried therewithin.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved pouch means made of multi-layer sheet means, which is of simple and economical construction, and which is easy to open and close during use thereof.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved pouch means similar in general shape to the oldfashioned leather or oil skin tobacco pouches and having a non-resilient feel similar to such old-fashioned pouches yet providing improved durability characteristics.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved pouch means having readily visible yet completely protected identification means.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved inexpensive tobacco pouch which is adapted to be used initially as a merchandising container for such tobacco, and which doesnt require additional protective wrapping for its contents during the shipping, storage, and merchandising display, and which is so inexpensive that it may be discarded by the user after using the tobacco carried therein.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved method for making such improved pouch means economically while providing pouch means superior to known pouches.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved method for making tobacco pouch means of multilayer sheet means which is easily foldable and has maximum durability characteristics.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved method for making sheet means to be used in the fabrication of tobacco pouch means which enables the provision of identification means for such tobacco pouch means in a protected position while providing sheet means having maximum durability.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an improved method for making tobacco pouch means having means enabling easy opening and closing thereof even after extended use.

Another feature of this invention is to provide an im- 3,447,428 Patented June 3, 1969 proved method for making sheet means adapted for making tobacco pouches in which such sheet means is comprised of a multi-layer construction in which one of such layers is made of metallic foil and another of a thermoplastic or heat-sealable material such as polyethylene, such sheet means providing improved wear characteristics and the feel of old-fashioned leather and oil skin tobacco pouches.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved pouch means having one or more of the novel features of this invention as set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for making such pouch means for use as tobacco pouches or the like.

Other objects, uses, and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of pouch means of this invention adapted for use as a tobacco pouch, showing a closure flap thereof extended, and with a part of such pouch means broken away showing tobacco therewithin.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a rectangular multilayered sheet means used to make the pouch of FIG- URE 1 with the thickness thereof exaggerated and with fragments thereof broken away to illustrate the positions of various layers thereof.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the manner of initially folding the sheet means of FIGURE 2 to form the pouch of FIG- URE 1 prior to heat-sealing along the side edges of the folded end.

FIGURE 4 is a front view showing the pouch of FIG- URE 1 closed and illustrating identification means printed to the metallic foil layer of the sheet means for easy viewing through the outside transparent layer.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the pouch as shown in FIGURE 4 illustrating the closure flap means thereof wrapped around to embrace such pouch and fastened in position to provide an airtight seal for the open end of such pouch.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary enlarged view illustrating adhesive pressure tape means fixed to the terminal end portion of the closure flap means of the illustrated pouch and showing a strip extending therebeyond which has a non-stick terminal end for easy grasping and unfastening of such closure flap means.

FIGURE 7 illustrates a metallic foil layer and a transparent outside layer being laminated together by extruding a thin layer of thermoplastic material therebetween.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a thermoplastic layer being laminated on the other surface of the metallic foil layer of the final sheet means of FIGURE 7.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter illustrated and described as being particularly adaptable for providing improved pouch means, such as a tobacco pouch or the like, and to an improved method for making such improved pouch means, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to provide pouch means for other articles as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

In the exemplary embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-8 an improved pouch means such as a tobacco pouch 20 of this invention is illustrated, as well as the improved method for making such tobacco pouch or the like.

As shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, pouch 20 of this example of the invention is particularly adapted for carrying tobacco, designated by the numeral 21, therewithin. Pouch has integral closure flap means such as closure flap 22 which is adapted to be wrapped around a tobacco carrying pouch portion illustrated at 23 in an embracing manner to thereby define a pouch of generally rectangular outline. The general outline or shape of pouch 20 is similar to the old-fashioned leather or oil skin tobacco pouches used for carrying pipe tobacco and/or cigarette tobacco therewithin. Pouch 20 is made from sheet means, for example as illustrated in FIGURE 2, which when formed into the configuration illustrated in FIG- URE 1 has the non-resilient feel of such old-fashioned pouches, as Well as improved durability characteristics. Identification means is provided for pouch 20 in a protected position which assures that such pouch can be handled and used without damage or marring of such identification means in any way.

Pouch 20 is formed from multi-layer sheet means or sheet designated by the numeral 30. Sheet 30, illustrated in FIGURE 2, is made of easily foldable material preferably having metallic foil 24 as its central layer and at least one heat sealing or thermoplastic layer laminated to one surface of metallic foil layer 24.

Metal foil 24 is laminated between inside layer means illustrated as a thermoplastic inside layer preferably made of polyethylene and designated by the numeral 25 and outside transparent layer means illustrated in this example as an outside layer of cellulose sheeting means such as cellophane 26. The layer means or webs 24, 25, and 26 are laminated together so as to form sheet 30 of easily foldable material.

Pouch 20 is formed by folding back one end edge, shown as edge 31, of sheet 30 approximately one third of the dimension transverse, in this example normal, to edge 31 so as to provide a fold essentially as illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. The folding is preferably accomplished so that polyethylene layer 25 defines the inside of the fold while cellophane layer 26 forms the outside thereof and hence, as will be apparent, the outside of tobacco pouch 20.

With edge 31 folded as described above and shown in FIGURE 3, the side edges of the folded end and designated by the numerals 32 and 33 are heat sealed along the full length thereof so as to provide the tobacco carrying portion or pocket 23 as previously mentioned. Closure flap 22 is then wrapped around the entire pouch 20 embracing such pouch as illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. Flap 22 is adhesively fastened in position as illustrated to provide an airtight seal for the open end of pouch 20. Pouch 20 is preferably initially used to market tobacco.

As tobacco 21 is used from within pouch 20 the construction of such pouch 20 is such that it may be wound tighter, wrapping flap 22 about the remaining reduced volume of tobacco so as to provide an even tighter seal for the tobacco carried therewithin and thereby assure that such tobacco maintains optimum smoking characteristics. Once all of the tobacco 21 has been used from within pouch 20 it may be refilled if desired; however, because of the inexpensive nature of such pouch it may be discarded.

As illustrated particularly in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, adhesive pressure tape means designated by the numeral generally at 35 is provided for fastening flap 22 in position. A strip portion of pressure tape means 35 extends beyond the terminal end of flap 22 and adhesively fastens closure flap 22 in its embraced position about pouch 20. Strip 40 has a non-adhesive or a non-stick terminal end portion designated by the numeral 41. The nonstick terminal end portion 41 makes it possible to easily grasp strip 40 without marring its adhesive qualities and thereby unfasten closure flap 22 for easy opening of pouch 20. Strip 40 enables repeated easy reclosing of pouch 20. As will be apparent from FIGURES l and 6 of the draw- 4 ings, the adhesive tape means 35 and strip 40 thereof is preferably centrally located with respect to the terminal end portion 37 of closure flap 22, and such centrally located strip is adequate to provide fastening of flap 22 and maintain pouch 20 in an essentially airtight configuration.

In this example of the invention the closure flap 22 has a generally rectangular terminal end as shown particularly in FIGURE 1. However, it will be appreciated that such terminal end could have an arcuate configuration at the corners thereof or such corners might be cut or folded, for example, along dotted lines shown at 42 and 43.

Pouch 20 has identification means immediately adjoining the inner surface of the outside cellophane layer 26 in this example of the invention. The identification means, designated by the numeral 45, in this example of the invention is fixed preferably as by printing on the metallic foil layer of the sheet 30 and is easily viewed through cellophane layer 26 once the layers are laminated together to form sheet 30. The identification means 45 may comprise a word or words, an emblem, color coding, decal means, or any combination of these, as desired. While in this example of the invention the identification means comprises printing on central foil layer 24, in one application of the invention the identification means was reverse printed on the inside surface of an outer layer of cellophane so that it was fixed in position thereto and was easily viewed from the outside of pouch 20.

The use of metal foil 24 such as aluminum-containing metal foil and a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene 25 when laminated together define an improved sheet, such as sheet 30, which is easy to fold while having a dead fold feel. Therefore, once such sheet is formed to define pouch 20, pouch 20- has a tendency to remain locally deformed when mashed thereby providing a nonresilient feel. This feel is similar to the feel of old-fashioned leather and oil skin tobacco pouches and is preferred by many users of tobacco pouches.

The sheet 30 illustrated in FIGURE 2 has a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene laminated or bonded to only one side thereof to provide the non-resilient feel to pouch 20. However, it will be appreciated that polyethylene could be laminated to both sides of foil 24 to provide such non-resilient feel.

The thickness of thermoplastic material or polyethylene employed is controlled to provide the preferred non-resilient feel. In addition to the sheet construction of FIGURE 2, pouches have been made using multi-layer sheets wherein polyethylene has been used on both surfaces of the central metal foil. When using polyethylene to form the outside transparent layer of sheet 30, its thickness is such that identification means can be readily seen therethrough.

In one application of this invention a tobacco pouch of improved durability and having the non-resilient feel was constructed from a multi-layer integral sheet 30 having a transparent outside layer of a low density polyethylene .002. inch thick, at central layer of aluminum foil .0005 inch thick, and an inside layer of polyethylene .00] inch thick. Printed identification means provided on the aluminum foil was readily visible through the transparent polyethylene outside coating.

The various layer means or layers comprising integral sheet 30 used to form pouch 20 may be laminated together in any suitable manner such as heat sealing, use of adhesive means such as transparent glue or the like, etc. As previously mentioned sheet 30 has metallic foil 24 laminated between transparent cellulose sheeting or cellophane 26 and polyethylene 25.

A preferred way of forming another embodiment of sheet means used to make pouch 20 is illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawings. The resulting final sheet, shown in FIGURE 8, will be designated by the same numeral 30 followed in this latter embodiment by the letter designation A. Sheet 30A is formed in the same manner as sheet 30 to define pouch and the previous description in connection with sheet is fully applicable to the use of sheet 30A and thus will not be repeated.

As shown in FIGURE 7 of the drawings one preferred way of laminating the central metal foil sheet and cello phane together is by extruding a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene between separate sheets or webs of foil and cellophane. A web of metal foil 50 is provided from a roll 51 while a web of cellophane 52 is similarly provided from a roll 53. The webs 50 and 52 are brought together between a pair of nip rolls 54 and 55 and polyethylene designated by the numeral 56 is extruded therebetween through a nozzle arrangement indicated generally at 57. Roll '55 is a chilling roll and the polyethylene 56 extruded between rolls 54 and 55 at an elevated temperature is solidified by the cooling action of roll 55. The desired thickness of polyethylene is also controlled in a known manner by controlling the spacing between rolls 54 and 55. The resulting sheet means exiting rolls 54 and 55 is designated by the numeral 60.

The other surface of foil 50 may also be coated by extruding a layer of polyethylene thereon. Such other surface is preferably coated as shown in FIGURE 8 of the drawings. Sheet 60 is passed over an applicator roll 61 so the uncoated surface of foil 50 engages such roll. Applicator roll 61 revolves in a bath 62 of polyethylene and coats the surface of foil 50 as it rolls thereacross. The thickness of polyethylene thus provided on foil 50 is controlled in a known manner by the use of doctor blades used in association with roll 61 and bath 62. The final sheet means or multi-layer sheet is shown in FIGURE 8 I downstream of bath 62 and designated by the numeral 30A.

Thus, it is seen that the method of laminating cellophane, metallic foil, and polyethylene together illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawings and the resulting sheet 30A provides, in effect, a sheet 30A having a double thickness of polyethylene which together with the metallic foil provides an improved non-resilient feel for the resulting pouch 20 formed from such sheet.

The pouch construction described above enables the marketing of a durable pouch 20- with tobacco therewithin which is ready for use and which does not require additional protective wrappings about such pouch package to properly protect such tobacco. Furthermore, the means used to protect the identification means may also be used to provide a protected decorative design for pouch 20 giving such pouch continuing aesthetic appeal.

Thus, it is seen that an improved pouch means of simple and economical construction has been provided which is readily adapted for use as a tobacco pouch and which has the same general shape and non-resilient feel of oldfashioned leather or oil skin tobacco pouches while providing improved durability characteristics, such improved pouch means being readily opened and closed by the use of a simple adhesive pressure tape means provided on closure flap means thereof.

Further, this invention provides an improved method for making such improved pouch means or the like economically and having greater durability than old-fashioned pouches without sacrificing the desired characteristics of such old-fashioned pouches.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by statute, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claimed subject matter which follows.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making inexpensive pouch means for use in containing tobacco and having a feel similar to the feel of a leather pouch, said method comprising the steps of, providing a plurality of three layer means of easily foldable material comprising transparent outside layer means made of a plastic material and inside layer means comprised of metallic foil layer means and layer means made of a thermoplastic material, providing identification means for easy viewing through said outside layer means, laminating said layer means together to provide integral multilayered sheet means of easily foldable material having said identification means fixed in a protected position under said outside transparent layer means, folding back one end edge of said sheet means approximately one third of the dimension transverse said one edge means, heat sealing along the full length of side edges of the folded end, and folding the remainder of said sheet means so that it embraces said pouch means and provides closure flap means therefor, whereby said pouch means has a non-resilient feel similar to said leather pouch.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 in which said step of laminating said layer means together comprises extruding polyethylene between said metallic foil layer means and said transparent outside layer means to define said layer means made of a thermoplastic material.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 in which said sep of providing identification means comprises fixing said identification means to one surface of said metallic foil layer means and said laminating step comprises laminating said transparent outside layer means against said one surface thereby providing said easy viewing of said identification means.

4. The method as set fourth in claim 1 in which said step of providing transparent outside layer mean made of a plastic material comprises providing said outside layer means made of cellophane and said laminating step comprises extruding polyethylene between said outside cellophane layer means and one surface of said metallic foil layer means to define said layer means made of a thermoplastic material.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 in which said laminating step further comprises laminating another layer means of polyethylene against the surface of said metallic foil layer means opposite said one surface thereof, whereby said layers of polyethylene on both side of said metallic foil layer means together with said cellophane layer means provide an improved non-resilient feel for said pouch means.

6. The method as set forth in claim 4 and further comprising the step of fixing adhesive pressure tape means to the terminal end portion of said closure flap means, said tape means having a stri thereof extending beyond said closure flap means for adhesively fastening said closure flap means in position after it embraces said pouch means and said strip having a non-adhesive terminal end portion for easy grasping and opening of said pouch means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,224,017 12/1940 Gurwick 93-35 2,536,773 1/1951 Saidel. 2,560,535 7/ 1951 Allen. 3,181,438 5/1965 Leary 93-35 X 3,246,833 4/1966 Schlienz et a1. 3,332,324 7/1967 Lemacher et al. 93-35 X 3,343,663 9/ 1967 Seidler.

WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 206-41; 2293.5 

